Incredible India - My journey part 2

5th October 2017

This morning I awoke to the sound of zikr from the masjid nearby after fajr salaah. Here at every masjid after salaah everyone sits for a loud zikr program and it sounds absolutely fantastic echoing in all directions. The sound of the cockadoodledoo of the chickens seemed to be in competition with the zikr. I opened the door and stepped outside breathing in the fresh mountain air. As the sun began to rise the locals started their days work. The school kids made their way to the main road by hopping a ride on the shikara. 
A few minutes later the houseboat traders were out in full force selling their arts and crafts to tourists as well as to the locals. Our housekeeper Farook bhai and I enjoyed a heart to heart conversation on the balcony as we sipped a hot cup of masala chai. As the rest of the family made their way to the dining room, our personal chef miraculously appeared with a variety of eggs on a tray. After gobbling a hearty breakfast, we then enjoyed a relaxing ride on the shikara through the houseboat neighbourhood. We stopped at a few shops and showrooms appreciating the local arts and crafts like paper mache, wood carving and ofcourse carpet making. People usually go for honeymoon to Switzerland, Europe and to islands but to me Kashmir is undoubtedly one of the most romantic places in the world. This afternoon we were invited for lunch at the home of a family friend. They welcomed us at their palatial home with smiles and warmth and arranged a spread of kashmiri meals. We ended lunch with traditional kashmiri chai and cookies. As it started getting cooler, we made our way to the majestic Mughal Shalimar gardens built by Mugal emperor Jahangir for his wife Noor Jahan. In the vicinity close by is the most stunning garden in the whole of Srinagar, Nishat Bagh. This garden is noted for its beautiful sunsets. We also had the opportunity of performing prayers at the famous Hazratbal masjid. The masjid contains a relic believed by many muslims in kashmir to be the hair of the beloved Prophet Muhammed (saw). I noticed people of all faiths visiting the masjid. Many visit to take vows by tying ribbon pieces on a wall adjacent to the shrine encasing the hair. What I love most about this quaint city is the fact that everyone here resides happily with each other side by side. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, sunnis and shias all live in harmony. I would strongly recommend people to visit this part of the world. They are trying very hard to rejuvenate the tourism industry so that more jobs can be created for the locals. The ongoing political conflict in this part of the world has undoubtedly had a negative impact on the tourism industry and the media certainly do not help the cause either.....To be continued.....

Incredible India - My journey part 1

October 4th 2017

As a child I never quite envisaged visiting so many countries and meeting different people throughout the world. God has undoubtedly been good to me. I couldn't thank Him enough for all the bounties He has blessed me with. Many great authors and poets have written about the beauty of Kashmir and so it has always been my dream destination. We left SA on Monday on board Emirates. I noticed significant changes at OR TAMBO in terms of security checks but it still does not compare to the airport security in Dubai as well as in India. In India only passengers are allowed inside the airport. In SA every Tom Dick and Harry are allowed inside the airport. Whilst waiting to board our connecting flight to New Delhi we became acquainted with some of the passengers in the waiting area. There was an elderly Sikh couple that truly inspired me. They were returning from a 3 week vacation in Europe. They were quite proud to tell us that despite being elderly they explored 6 countries with ease. The upright, neatly dressed Sikh gentleman is 75 years old and his other half is 65 years old. They were a cute, jovial couple. As the conversation ensued more passengers started joining in until it was time to board our connecting flight. Arriving at Indira Gandhi international airport, I was taken a back at the progress and development I witnessed. India has certainly changed in the last 17 years since I visited. The change is evident in all sectors. We were welcomed at the airport with smiles and warmth. The airport personnel were friendly and obliging especially the staff stationed at the e-visa counter. After collecting our luggage we were greeted by Arshad from Mantana travel and tours. We have been putting this trip together for a few weeks now through email and whatsapp and so finally meeting him in person was pretty awesome. His arrangements thus far have been excellent. We made our way to the opulent Suryaa hotel driving through Delhi's horrendous traffic whilst listening to the sound of Bhangra music. It made us wanna stamp our feet and clap our hands. A lot has changed in New Delhi but the driving culture certainly hasn't. I don't think I'd be able to drive in India. There is a strange driving culture here where cars do not keep in their own lane.People drive haphazardly whilst hooting and honking away. I would call it an organized chaos.Ironically, the accident rate is minimal.We were given a grand welcome at the hotel in line with Indian hospitality. My brother Zillurrahman who resides in Bihar came all the way to spend the day with us. Once we checked in and got all comfortable we went out to Al Bake restaurant located at New friends colony. The food was absolutely delicious. We devoured the mince shorma, seekh kebaab and tandoori chicken. The garlic naan was undoubtedly the best I've ever eaten. After lunch I wanted to meet my papaji. I7 years ago I was literally adopted by a Kashmiri shop owner. My dad and I were having a petty argument about which items of clothing i should purchase.Papaji intervened telling my dad that he shouldn't be arguing with me. Then he said that he only has sons and no daughters. So he asked dad if he could adopt me. He landed up giving me all the items of clothing that I had chosen free of charge. I was totally shocked. I knew the value of the garments as they were made from silk and on top of it hand embroidered.Meeting him yesterday after 17 years was definitely an emotional experience. He managed to maintain the bond for almost 2 decades.Just like the first time we met,I left papajis shop with bags of clothing. Arshad was kind enough to give us a mini city tour.We took a drive past the lotus temple, Humayuns tomb that is currently under construction, gateway of India, parliament house etc. Poor Arshad drove us with a smile from one end of Delhi to the other. As the day came to an end we headed back to the hotel. After freshening up it was time to attend a dinner function in our honour at Zillurrahmans extended families home. I was quite surprised to learn that the family moved from Bihar to Delhi in order to educate their 4 girls. They desire to become doctors. India has progressed in all sectors whilst we back home are regressing. All around us we noticed construction and development. However, the one thing that hasn't changed is a man's attitude towards a woman. Not all men but many men felt that it was quite alright to stare as though they were undressing us with their eyes. Hence Arshad accompanied us all over the city. As we meandered through gulleys and alleys amidst a cacophony of sound I couldn't help but notice various groups of people.. I noticed super rich snotty individuals in posh cars taking advantage of their drivers and maids. By the way not all rich people here treat their employees badly. It's not fair to generalise. Then I noticed the working middle class trying to make ends meet and of course how could I not notice the extreme poverty and slums in which thousands of people reside in.My heart broke. I was warned though not to give anyone money. Whilst there are genuine poverty stricken people residing in the city, there are also syndicates who use children to beg at traffic signals. They deliberately amputate their arms and legs so that the public would feel sorry for them and hence they can derive more revenue. On the political front we heard mixed reactions about the current leadership. Whilst many praised the Modi administration many were disgruntled especially with regards to the 28 percent gst.Many however sang praises for the previous prime minister Manmohan Singh and president Abdul kalaam. Under their leadership India showed a GDP of 60 percent and over whereas the GDP has dropped significantly under the current leadership. One Sikh gentleman made me laugh when he said that JZ and Modi are both the same. They both all words but no action. Under Manmohan Singhs leadership a 10 percent tax was proposed. Modi at the time was a part of the opposition. They threatened to burn india down. Now he imposed a tax that is way more than 10 percent. This morning we flew out to srinagar. We did however encounter hiccups at the airport. All domestic flights only allow 15kg of luggage per person. So even though Emirates allows you 2 by 23 kg bags when entering India, internal flights only accommodates 15kg. This is absolutely ridiculous. It's almost as though India is saying we don't want foreigners to spend money in the country or we don't want foreigners to support local artists and craftsman as the luggage quota for internal flights is minimal. So you either pay for the excess weight and carry on or you keep your extra luggage with friends. We stopped at Jammu to drop off passengers. We waited in the plane for one and a half hours before we took off again due to technical difficulties.Eventually we arrived in Srinagar. After completing the formalities Rasheed bhai whisked us away to our 7 star houseboat. I was a bit shocked at the huge presence of military personnel all around us. In fact no photography is allowed at the Jammu and srinagar airport as they are considered defence airports and hence they are a part of the military.We received a grand welcome at the HB montana houseboat and lunch was ready for us. The food here is divine... Totally out of this world. After lunch we took a stroll in the botanical gardens. Words can not describe the beauty of the place. I felt relaxed. I felt alive breathing in the fresh crisp mountain air. The best thing about India and kashmir is the minimal crime rate. Whilst petty theft does occur due to poverty and honour killing happen in villages due to family feuds, in general no one kills a person for a cellphone or for 50 rupees.I feel free as a bird. We noticed vans laden with goods parked on the side of the road. The driver didn't close the windows and neither were the doors locked.One more thing..many people discouraged us from staying in the houseboat. Don't ever listen to people. Anyone can stay in a hotel but the houseboat experience will remain with me forever. Time for dinner.... ma'am Sahiba dinner tayyaar hai. Jaldi aajao.......

CPL 2017 UPDATE BY Dev Govindjee

TUESDAY 15 AUGUST 2017

It has been a long time since I sat down to write an update- so much has happened and so many countries visited over the past 12 months that I fear I shall not be able to do justice if I attempt to recall them all- safe to say that recently I have visited Qatar, Hong Kong, Nepal, Uganda, Kenya, The Netherlands & Jersey since December 2016 and now am in the Caribbean doing my 3rd CPL (Caribbean Premier League) tournament.

My schedule of travel has thus been totally frenetic and these appointments do not always come well in advance –so there has been a terribly stressful period of getting Schengen Visas and USA & UK Visas all sorted out in time for me to get to the various destinations –thankfully these hurdles have been negotiated and I now find myself sitting on the balcony of the lovely Royal St Lucia Resort on another glorious Caribbean morning with time on my hands- time enough to realize that many have requested updates and many others have indicated that they have missed hearing from me- for the others- well just read and enjoy or send me a short note indicating otherwise and I shall refrain from taking up your time.

My 2017 CPL schedule excited me as I have on my previous two visits to the West Indies missed out on getting matches in St Lucia- this time it was included- firstly though I had to complete a European U19 Tournament in Jersey ( first visit there) in the Channel Islands ( more about that later) and thankfully completed matches there on the 1 August allowing me to fly directly to London & Miami to be in time in Fort Lauderdale for the start of my CPL matches on 5 August. Had a hectic double header of matches there on the Sat & Sun and on Monday 7th it was a chartered flight out of Fort Lauderdale for 4 teams and match officials directly to St Lucia.There were long delays due to overloading of luggage ( cricket kit) so finally 4 hours later we departed and it meant getting to the hotel ( an 90 min drive) only around 8 pm – in time to spend a bit of my birthday out having supper with the umpires.

The island/country of St Lucia is absolutely beautiful- fantastic resort where we are staying so a walk directly onto the beach - idyllic conditions for doing whatever you feel like- a short walk into Rodney Bay where there are enough pubs, restaurants, coffee shops and shops for the satisfaction of the many tourists who come to enjoy what is on offer.A few days ago we arranged to travel around some parts of the Island and visited the iconic Pitons ( two cone-shaped mountains) as well as visiting the Sulphur Springs nearby and having a delightful Mud Bath.

With the CPL matches here all scheduled to start either at 5,6 or 8 pm, it does leave many hours free to get to enjoy new places- also got to Castries which is the main harbor town where passenger liners dock fairly regularly bringing the many tourists who enjoy being in the Caribbean.

This update was started on Sunday and it is now Tuesday- Our 4th and final match here at the Daren Sammy Stadium is at 6pm and then we prepare to leave St Lucia for an equally beautiful island called St Kitts & Nevis.

Last night a local passionate cricket-loving family invited the match officials to their home- a beautiful evening spent with them and some friends they had invited and to listen to so much of what life is like on these Caribbean islands –their love and following of cricket down to their knowledge of even the match officials was astounding and we were made ot feel really special by them all- hoping that one of their daughters plays for the West Indies one day.

Sunday 20 August

Yes- it is clear that the days are going by quickly and this update needs to be sent out before it is time to return home- so, from beautiful St Kitts on this reast day let me briefly update- have had a few matches here- my third visit to this magnificent island where the Port Zante region in the downtown Basseterre comes alive when the regular ocean liners dock-a few days ago two docked at the same time so it was a good time to be there and once again experience the buzz tha this brings with it- tourism is what the island survives on and the shops do a good trade- I have made some good friends in many places and here I have friends who own a jewellery store and my weakness for watches is well know to them and yes, I have bought another one!

I also have a couple who take me around to see new places so this afternoon they shall once again do that.

Some CPL matches start at 9pm for maximum TV exposure in the sub-continent- that does mean that if there are any rain interruptions then the extra time allowed pushes the cessation times way beyond midnight! Really should not complain as we do have free days and also match days are free until we leave for the venues.

From St Kitts the next stop on Thursday will be Barbados- looking forward to my 2nd visit to Bajan territory and from there it is play-offs and finals this year in Trinidad.

Until the next update

Always

Just

deV

Letter from a prisoner - I saw the sunset

At some point or other, each one of us has marveled at the majestic sight of the sun setting. Like the majority of things in our lives, it is one of the daily occurrences that we simply take for granted. 

The last time I saw a sunset was over 7 years ago. The last one that I remember was the weekend before I came to prison. I watched the sun set over the Kruger National Park, an incredible image that is etched in my mind. I was blessed to witness sunsets in spectacular locations all over the world. In Ramadhaan, I cannot help but reminisce over the sunsets of Madinah, a seemingly otherworldly experience. Those images though have recently been replaced by the view of the sunset that I have been seeing for the last few evenings, albeit from the confines of the prison yard. 

The daily prison schedule means that I am locked up in my cell, well before sunset. If I want to see the night sky, I have to contort my body to catch a postcard sized glimpse of the night sky through the flap on my 5 centimeter thick steel door. For the past few weeks, I have been allowed to be out of my cell during sunset. After years of trying, Allah finally softened the hearts of prison officials and they now allow me to go to the kitchen 30 minutes before iftaar to warm food for those fasting. This has made a huge difference to us. It means that we are able to break our fast, in our terribly cold cells, with a hot meal, everyday. Previously, we resorted to using kettles and clothing irons to warm food, but now every fasting person is given a hot plate of food shortly before iftaar, in a dignified manner.

I am often asked what we as prisoners have for iftaar and sehri. Unfortunately, we all get caught up in being more specific about what we eat in Ramadhaan than out of it. It is only when you don't have the choice of what your heart desires, that one truly realizes what is important during this sacred month. That said, the barakah of the month transcends the prison walls as Allah blesses us every year with more than we usually have during the year. 

On the first evening that I delivered food for iftaar, I found myself in one of the prison courtyards and my gaze shifted towards the sky. For those few moments with my eyes fixated on the sky, I was absolutely mesmerized by the beauty that I saw. The sky was a pallet of pastel shades. Warm hues of orange lit the horizon whilst the clouds seemed to be edged in every shade of violet. In this desolate, cold, grey concrete building that is my temporary abode; it was incredibly moving to witness the splendor of my Lords work. 

Every evening since then, I have had the opportunity to witness the sunset from various vantage points within the prison. I have even had the chance to take a moment to break my fast whilst being enthralled by the spectacle above. 

For me, sunset represented another day that passed. Another day that I endured this trial that my Lord has given me. And another day closer to being free. Seeing the sunset has changed that mindset. As humans we get so caught up in the endeavors of life that we forget to take a pause and appreciate the beauty that is all around us and in everything around us. 

The ultimate goal of Ramadhaan is to attain taqwa. Our illustrious ulema enumerate what taqwa actually is and how to attain it. One such definition is that it is the consciousness of Allah. In watching a sunset, it is only natural to realize that there is a Lord who through His Grandeur allows us to witness one of the infinite bounties that He has bestowed upon us. I believe that if we are to see the beauty in everything and everyone around us, we would truly be seeing the beauty of our Creator; and thus acquiring taqwa effortlessly. 

Throughout my life different experiences and different people have affected the views I have on happiness, love and life. Recently, a friend was the catalyst to life changing decisions and becoming an uncle gave me such unexpected passion for life; but it was a sunset that brought me closer to the Lord of the sunset. To many, and even to myself at my lows, I have nothing and am in a terrible position. However, despite it all; I chose to see the beauty in everything and everyone, and that, that means that whilst my body is imprisoned my mind and soul are truly free. Then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny? 

Letter from a prisoner - Ramadhaan behind bars

The New York Times

I have spent 9 Ramadhaans behind bars at 3 different prisons. Every Ramadhaan was different for different reasons and due to different circumstances but one thing was the same in all; no matter how many walls and gates confine my physical self, the barakah that the month brings transcends it all and brings with it sakeenah that sets my soul free. Ramadhaan has always been my favourite time of the year, despite the worst day of my life also being in this month.

The prison system allows for religious practices and for Muslims there are specific concessions made for this blessed month. The main change in the prison is that Muslim inmates are housed together in 1 cell. This helps Muslims to be able to not only pray together but to experience some semblance of quiet and respect for prayer; as well as being able to be in an environment where everyone has the same intentions. Prison policies dictate many other concessions but these are merely on paper as no Muslim authorities ever assist in their complete implementation. 

Naturally, the prison environment presents a new dynamic to the month. My first Ramadhaans were in communal cells. A communal cell generally accommodates 40 men but for Ramadhaan they squeeze around 70 into 1 cell. We did not mind this, if anything it helped to create a better atmosphere. Double bunks were transformed into quadruple bunks in order to create a permanent space for salaah, with the guys on the top literally brushing the roof as they turned in bed; whilst others preferred to rather sleep on the floor. 

The spirit of the brothers for the month meant that even staying in such conditions did not bother them. This was even true when it came time for whudu and the toilet. 70 men sharing 1 toilet and 2 basins is quite a logistical nightmare when it comes to getting ready for salaah, and especially for fajr. Some would take it upon themselves to play the role of bathroom manager in efforts to streamline the process, while others volunteered themselves to clean the bathroom continuously. 

Ramadhaan is supposed to be a time of giving up food but the reality in the world is that food becomes more of a priority in Ramadhaan than out of it. In prison, the same is true to an extent. One Ramadhaan, I was able to eat home food almost everyday for iftaar. One Ramadhaan I lived largely on bread and milk. Allah always made a way though for me to be able to break every fast with dates, and sometimes even with zamzam. The prison gives the guys 5 slices of bread, powder milk, sugar and either jam or peanut butter for sehri. For iftaar, guys keep their prison lunch. Breaking fast hours after being given the food means that the food is cold, so guys come up with ingenious ways to warm up food. Anything from a bucket of boiling water, placing packets inside a kettle, wedging food between hot water bottles and clothing irons are used, to great effect! 

The brotherhood that is shown at meal times is remarkable. I have had the fortune of making iftaar in Madinah Munawwarah where one is literally pulled to join the host in iftaar. In prison, I have witnessed a similar spirit. Even though most have only the essentials, they vie with one another in sharing and in providing for each other; sometimes even becoming physical in efforts to be the ones to serve others. 

All prisons have a shop inside the prison that sells basic groceries. These are a huge help especially during Ramadhaan. Items such as tea, coffee, margarine, instant porridge and the like make sehri and iftaar much more pleasant. Regardless of what we have to eat, joy still abounds at iftaar. 

The past few Ramadhaans have been in the midst of winter. This brings great challenges to us. For instance, making whudu with icy water at sehri, or worse still having to make a fardh ghusl, tests one in ways one cannot imagine. It also does not help that prisons have constant power outages, owing to defunct infrastructure or simply because of load shedding. One Ramadhaan, for almost 2 weeks there was no electricity. This meant no hot meals for that time, no hot water to bath or make whudu and no lights to do anything in. 

These conditions prove really difficult at times for someone like me who grew up as a Muslim and has been fasting since the age of 6. It is infinitely more difficult for men in prison as 99% of them became Muslim in prison. Imagine spending your first Ramadhaan, as a middle aged man, in these type of conditions? It really tests the faith of everyone. 

Seeing as most inmates have never seen the inside of a masjid, most never heard of taraweeh. It is natural then that many find the idea of 20 rakaats rather daunting. In all my years though, I have never had a single person complain about  the length of taraweeh; instead everyone remains committed and is up for the challenge. Some issues however do creep in, but nothing that is not faced in masjids too; like issues over whether the lights should be on or off, or whether the windows should be open or not. 

For some, fasting proves to be a bit too much. It is not uncommon to have someone being caught sneaking into a quiet cell during the day to have a quick bite or more often than not a quick cigarette. Others will feign sickness to get a few days off. The general attitude towards this is compassion and empathy as opposed to aggression or ridicule. 

As someone who is always the imaam and looked up to by the revert Muslims, I cannot help but feel for them and all I can do is to encourage them. It does not sadden me that some of my fellow brothers cannot fast properly, pray properly or read the Quran. Rather it saddens me that in a city like Johannesburg which is full of darul-ulooms and ulema that there is hardly any support at all for Muslim inmates. Yes, some have done terrible unspeakable crimes, but the day they became Muslim, Allah says He forgave all of their past transgressions, so it is time the community and in particular the ulema changed their attitude and assisted.

Don't judge a book by its cover says the old adage. I have learnt and continue to learn that lesson in prison. I spent one Ramadhaan in a single cell with a revert who was extremely passionate about learning. He reminded me of the stories of the sahabah (RA), for they implemented everything they were taught immediately. I taught him about tahajjud and for the year that he was with me, he never missed it for a single night. Another brother learnt how to read arabic, last Ramadhaan he completed the Quraan. It took him on average 4 hours to complete one juz, but he persevered and achieved what so many do not despite their abilities. Last Ramadhaan, I spent with a 50 year old ex-Hindu pundit. By the end of the month he could read Arabic and knew a few surahs by memory.   Another image that will always be etched in my memory is one of 4 or 5 men sharing 1 candle in order to read Quraan.

Inspiration is all around us, no matter where we are. The blessing of this blessed month are also all around us, no matter where we are. 

Letter from a prisoner - Days of our lives, Prison edition!

                                                     https://goodmenproject.com

As an inmate, I only have access to watch the National broadcasters’ 3 television channels and 1 free to air channel. The choice of programs to watch is very limited. I am unfortunately one of the millions of people globally, who watch soapies; for now. It is only out of absolute boredom and because of a lack of choice that I endure a daily dose of escapism. Soapies on the television screen are not the only source of mad behaviour, deception and affairs; the prison is also a source of entertaining events.
Many men in prison have cellular phones, through which they try to win the affection of ladies in the free world. Most of the time, all they seek is a sugar mommy, someone to spend freely on their needs. Their rate of success is very high, all things considered.Interaction with ladies also happens at the visit area. This provides the opportunity for a hug and kiss. It is also common to see inmates eyeing ladies coming to visit another, fellow inmate. These interactions often result in events worthy of a place on any of the popular soapies on television. I will share a few incidents to substantiate this.

A few weeks ago there was a terrible fight in a cell one night. The 2 occupants of the cell ended up in hospital, naturally because of a woman. Thabo had a girlfriend in the real world. A woman he had known for many years. Thabo and his cellmate, Martin decided to put their money together and buy a cellular phone. As they shared everything and were good friends, Thabo did not mind that his lady spoke to Martin when he was busy or sleeping. This carried on for over a year. When Martin thought Thabo was sleeping, he did not realise that Thabo often listened to his conversations, which were often what can only be described as phone sex. Little did Thabo know that Martin was getting his highs from Thabo’s lady.A few weeks ago, Thabo’s lady sent a picture of herself in a compromised position. Thabo was chuffed, thinking the raunchy picture was for him, but on closer inspection noticed that the lady had a new tattoo on a very intimate
body part. All hell broke loose when he realised that the tattoo was Martin’s name enclosed in a heart.
Thabo broke the cell’s window and started stabbing Martin, getting him to confess everything. Martin then somehow overpowered Thabo and a full on fight with broken glass ensued. Both men had time to talk it through as partners in the same hospital room for a few days thereafter.

Another crazy story involves one of the inmates I associate with regularly. James is a young man who is very conscious of his appearance, even when wearing a prison uniform. He gets visits regularly. One day, he was seated a fair distance from an attractive young girl. He could not help but notice that her eyes seemed to not be focusing on the boyfriend she was visiting, but on him. As the lady left, she slipped him a piece of paper with her name and phone number scribbled on it.
James started talking to the young lady and they found a liking for each other. The problem was that the ladies boyfriend is a notorious gangster in the prison. James came up with a rather ingenious way to get rid of his problem. He got the lady to bring pictures of the gangster as well as records of conversations with the gangster. This resulted in the gangster being transferred to the highest security facility in the country, quite literally in the middle of nowhere, where he only gets to make 1 phone call a month.
The deceitful way that this ‘relationship’ started in, did not prevent the couple from getting “engaged.” Only time will tell if this story has a happy ending.

Many men in prison have multiple ladies or “girlfriends” as they like to call them. It seems they like to not only keep their options open but also want to have financial support from more than one avenue. This “cheating” sometimes results in the guilty party being caught out in rather dramatic fashion.
I have witnessed on one occasion a literal cat fight between 2 ladies at a family day. Sipho, like most men enjoyed the attention of ladies. He had planned for 2 ladies to visit him on a particular family day. A family day is basically an extended visit which takes place on the sports field. Sipho arranged for one lady to visit him when the gates opened at 8am and for another to arrive at 11am; with the plan in mind to get rid of the first lady by then.The plan seemed to be going very well. By 9am, Sipho was locking lips and cuddling with his first lady of the day. During one of his kisses, he was abruptly disturbed by the sensation of wetness, only wetness where he did not expect it. Lady number two had come early and had seen her man being very intimate with another lady. She proceeded to empty her bottle of cold drink all over Sipho and his first lady.
Sipho did not know what to do or say, in fact all he and all the spectators did was watch in awe as the 2 women had an epic bitch fight. Sipho lost more than just 2 ladies, the fact that he had a cellular phone and was engaged in other illegal activities also came to light, resulting in him being punished.

These kinds of stories happen quite regularly with varying degrees of intensity and absurdity. They are however not only confined to interactions with ladies.A while back, at my previous prison there was a number of serious gangs fights. It resulted in many spending time in hospital with serious injuries and even with one man loosing an eye.The reason behind the mayhem was a young white boy. As 90% of the populous is black men, white meat is a sought after commodity. The leader of one of the prisons gangs had eyed the boy for himself. The young boy was very insecure and loved smoking weed. As he could not afford to maintain his habit, he became the gang leaders’ toy, offering his bum when it was desired.
Things got out of hand when a rival gang leader decided that he wanted a piece of the white bum. He proceeded to pay more for the services and went on to demand that the boy only serviced him. This then became the starting point for much bloodshed. Unfortunately for the man whore, he lost his eye amidst one of the many fights and subsequently lost his ability to lure clients.

Infidelity is not the only practice of soapies that is found in prisons. There is revenge, betrayal, backstabbing, fraud, stealing, cheating and every other vice known to man in some form or other. Such are the days of our lives...

A short weekend getaway

1st March, 2017

Over the last few days my family and I decided to spend a few days at our beach apartment located in the picturesque, quaint little town of Margate. I am not a fan of Durban city and Umhlanga. It is not my ideal holiday destination as it is merely a concrete jungle. I prefer getting away from the city appreciating the peace and quiet that nature has to offer. The Durban south coast area is definitely an area worth visiting. The area is undoubtedly a photographers paradise made up of unspoiled beaches coupled with lush vegetation and greenery.Despite the rainy weather, my family and I made sure that we took a drive to the beautiful Lake Eland game reserve that boasts a variety of activities for the entire family, such as zip-lining, hiking, walking over the suspension bridge and much, much more.

The drive to the game reserve is absolutely breathtaking, passing through waterfalls, rivers and forests. "The Oribi Gorge is situated along the spectacular forest-cloaked ravine of the Mzimkulwana river west of Port Shepstone. Oribi Gorge is the western of two gorges that cut through the Oribi Flats (flat sugarcane farmlands). The Gorge, as seen from the Caves and the Suspension Bridge, was formed when large quantities of water from Central Africa cascaded down the ravine, gouging through the sandstone mountains. It spans an area 27km long, 4km wide in places and 400m deep. The vertical sides of the Gorge are made up of Natal series sandstone layers. The slopes down to the river are granite. Two types are evident: pink Oribi Gorge granite, and charnokite which is dark green in colour and can be seen in the river bed."

Waking up in the morning to the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks is a totally surreal experience. After enjoying a morning jog on the beach soaking up the fresh crisp air, it is so refreshing to head back to the apartment just in time for a delicious breakfast followed by a walk down town meeting up with the locals. In the afternoon we enjoy driving along the coast to the famous Mac Banana farm stall. Their pancakes and waffles are simply divine; awesome for my taste buds but not for my hips.... lolol.... I guess that's what a holiday is all about. Breaking away from routine is refreshing and energizing. I need to do this more often.......

Travel diary - Umra Part 3

December 12, 2016

So we started off the day after fajr prayers making our way to Jeddah. My Saudi family planned a fun filled educational trip for us enroute to Medina tul munawwara. Our first stop was the newly built King Abdullah Economic City. Located 100km from Jeddah the newly developed city boasts five star hotels along with offices and banks.In the future the main train station connecting the new airport to Makkah and medina will be located inside the economic city. We had snacks at the beach admiring the beauty of the Red Sea. Lunch was arranged at the beautiful Bay La Sun hotel. After enjoying a relaxing afternoon at the economic city we made our way to Badr where we paid our respects to the shuhadaa who passed away during the infamous battle of badr. The last time I visited Badr was almost 20 years ago. Once again we observed so many changes in this town. The town has grown from being a small rural community to a city with newly built homes and shops. As we drove closer towards Medina tul munawwara there was a sudden eagerness within our hearts to get to the city of our Beloved Prophet Muhammed (saw). My Saudi family belong to the Bani Quresh tribe. They are sayeds hailing from the lineage of Hasan. Hence as we drove to Medina our hosts refreshed our memory with regards to the history and life story of our Beloved Prophet Muhammed (pbuh). Alhamdulilla 3alas salaamah, we arrived in Medina tul munawwara safely. Dinner was arranged for us at a family members home. My Saudi family have went out of their way for my family and I. I do not know how to reciprocate what they have done for us. Subhanallah, in this day and age it is so hard to find people that have hearts of gold. May the love and care that we have for each other exist for eternity. Ameen.

Travel diary- Umra 2016

December 6, 2016

Alhamdulilla it is only through the grace and the mercy of the Almighty that we completed our umra with ease. Taqabbal Allah minna wa minkum sali7al 3amaal. May Allah accept all our efforts. We received excellent service from Saudi airlines at O R Tambo international airport. On boarding the flight we were allocated with seats that had more leg space than expected. The seats were also located adjacent to the lavatories for convenience. I must admit though that as a Muslim woman I am quite disgusted and embarrassed at how fellow Muslims utilize the toilets without giving a damn about the next person. The poor stewards and air hostesses spent half their time trying to fix up blocked toilets and clean up wet floors. What the hell does a person do in a plane toilet for more than twenty minutes. We need to address these kind of issues within our communities. We need to educate people about basic hygiene and cleanliness when travelling.I sat next to an elderly lady from Bangladesh. She was returning to her country of birth after spending three months with her son and nephew. Her son is an engineer working for a well known corporate company and her nephew is a specialist doctor residing in Pretoria.In general our South African Muslims are very judgemental. Anyone who does not conform to a particular standard dress code is automatically looked down upon and ignored. Hundreds of people walked right pass this elderly lady but no one bothered to make salaam or greet her. She was dressed in a sari with the one end of the elegant attire adorning her head. Her English was not fluent and hence we conversed in Hindi for the duration of the trip. She told me colourful stories of her childhood that lit up her face. Her bright smile quickly turned into tears as she spoke about her husbands death more than 20 years ago. She became emotional as she spoke about how she always wanted to visit the holy cities of Makkah and Medina. She stated how unfortunate she was for being in transit in Jeddah but not being able to perform umra. She is so close yet so far. She made lots of dua for my family and I and with sincerity and humility she asked us to make a special prayer for her asking God Almighty to invite her to His home before her soul leaves this world. With regards to South Africa she mentioned that whilst the infrastructure is beautiful the country in general is not safe at all. She found people to be class and status oriented. This irritated her immensely. She stated that in her country people are poor. They have very little yet they are ready to give you all they have. On arriving at King Abdulaziz international airport we bid each other farewell after exchanging contact details. 

Well done to the management at King Abdulaziz International airport. There has been so many positive changes at the airport that left me speechless. We were received at the entrance with smiles and ushered to the customs and immigration counters with much haste. The staff were friendly and the entire process took half an hour including baggage collection. Of course there were more surprises to follow. As we exited the airport our Saudi friends from Jeddah and Medina were both eagerly awaiting our arrival. In fact they were arguing as to who will play dinner host and treat us to a sumptuous meal before driving to the holy city of Makkah. Naturally we chose the restaurant and our wish was their command. Saudi hospitality is the best in the world. We were totally overwhelmed by all the love and care we received. Apart from dinner we were handed over 2 big goody bags containing imported sweets,snacks and chocolates for us to munch on at the hotel room. We headed for Makkah just before midnight and checked into the palatial Hyatt regency hotel. The hotel is one of the finest in Makkah and boasts a number of amenities apart from being a stones throw away from the haram. The culinary experience at this hotel truly surpasses most other five star hotels. After settling down we then freshened up and proceeded to perform umra. We completed the entire process before the morning prayers. Gazing at the ka3ba after 3 years was an absolutely surreal experience, an experience I simply cannot explain.......

CPL T20 2016 - Dev's Caribbean cricketing experience

International cricket match referee, Devdas Govindjee shares his Caribbean travel experience with all the blog readers. I was joking with Dev, that he has in fact become a travel correspondent for this blog.I am so blessed to be acquainted with such a wonderful human being who loves to impart and share his knowledge and experiences with the rest of the world.

UPDATE 1 ST KITTS


It has been quite a long break for me from sending out a mail updater- since my return from the U/19 Cricket world Cup in Bangladesh I have had shorter stints in the UAE and then in Zimbabwe & then a lovely break back in Port Elizabeth.

The trip out to CPL 2016 started last Monday 27th June with flights out of Port Elizabeth to Heathrow London- from Heathrow had to make our way to Gatwick for the flight out to Antigua for a short stop-over & then into St Kitts.

By the time I settled into the room at the lovely Marriott Resort & Royal Beach Casino it was 7.30 with my luggage following at around 11.30 pm – that would mean it would have been Wednesday morning back in South Africa ( 6 hours time difference)

Wednesday was taken up with visits to Warner Park for the venue inspections and then an early evening meeting with the two teams that were playing the first game here on Thursday 30 th.
Warner Park is the home of the St kitts & Nevis Patriots which this year is being captained by Faf Du Plessis of South Africa- they also have Tabraiz Shamsi the unorthodox left- arm spinner & PE’s own Jon Jon Smuts playing and have SA’s Eric Simons as coach .

Since all of that, there has now been 3 matches completed and the 4th and final match here this evening at 7. Everything has gone wonderfully well and we have had days off on Friday as well as yesterday and of course match days as well if the match starts only at 7 pm. The Sat Match was at 12 and Sunday we had a 4 pm match.

It was wonderful to get back into the city centre of Basseterre- the Port Zante area in particularly vibrant on the days when a cruise liner docks with all the Indian owned jewelry stores doing excellent business with the tourists – depending on which ship is docked they could be from the USA or other parts of the World.


Sun 17 July 2016

This mail was started while I was still in St Kitts but never got down to completing it for various reasons- mostly as a result of the busy schedule that I have had.

After St Kitts and the matches there, we left on Wed 6 July for Georgetwon Guyana- the home of the Guyana Amazon Warriors and the stadium is called Providence Stadium.

It was my first visit to Guyana and it is fascinating that Guyana is actually on the mainland of South America! Please google the map !! It is Suriname as Eastern neighbours, Venezuela as Western & Brazil as Southern neighbours. It is the only English Speaking country in South America but forms part of the Caribbean.!

Georgetwon has it’s own charm but do not expect to find it anything like a typical West Indies Island- it has more of a colonial city feel with colonial names and statues still a reminder of the links they all maintain with the Crown!
Our hotel was the lovely Marriott overlooking the ocean but also a reminder that Georgetown is a River port with the Demarara flowing into the Atlantic.

Found some interesting walks that we could do each morning along the Seawall remembering that much of Guyana is below sea level.

Each Island /Country in the Caribbean has it’s own currency as well as it’s own exchange rate so one has to get used to having all sorts of Dollars/Coins in one’s wallet.

The atmosphere in the Providence Stadium was unbelievable- having done 30+ IPL matches over the years, this is by far noisier and the locals come out to support in their thousands- getting into and out of the stadium without our Police Outriders would be virtually impossible as supporters line the streets cheering and
waving to their own heroes – Guyana celebrated it’s Golden Jubilee Independence earlier in the year and everywhere the flags of the country can be seen as well as symbols of the Jaguar which is the national animal. The Green/Yellow & Red colours are draped everywhere!.

On Wednesday 13 July we left Georgetown and headed for Kingston Jamaica- we traveled aboard Caribbean Airlines with a stop in Port of Spain Trinidad then onto Kingston Jamaica.

I had been to Kingston a few years ago to do a West Indies vs Ireland Series of matches so it was really good to check once again into the Pegasus Hotel.

Directly across the road is the delightful Emancipation Park- I simply love this concept & firmly believe that each city should provide a similar area for it’s residents- the park has an immaculate 500 Meter Walking/Jogging Track with clear signs indicating to walk only in one direction- from early morning people walk or jog with the beautifully kept flowers/shrubs/trees providing such a stunning setting of peace & outdoor pleasure.

Again this mail has been interrupted and finally I am hoping to complete it today ( Tue 19 July).

In the interim we had a day off on Sunday & headed out of Kingston on a very modern Highway (Toll Road) to Ocho Rios – this is about 75 kms away – we were to experience something very special- a visit to the Dunn River Falls & further on the Island Gulley Falls or the Blue hole.

It turned out to be one of the most amazing days I have ever experienced- the Dunn River Falls has everything organized down to selling a visitor the necessary pair of water shoes and provide lockers for clothes as well as a guide to take groups through the challenge of climbing into the 600ft falls – starting at the base of the falls we were hand-in-hand forming  daisy chains we made our way through one area to another – swimming gear is essential because all traversing is through water and via footholds on rocks- it was simply fantastic – with no cameras allowed unless you have a water proof one I did mange to get some pics as one of the umpires had a water proof cover for his mobile phone. They do sell you a video/pics if so desired of course.

The Blue Hole was just as beautiful in the White River Valley and is a hidden gem - paradise in the rain forest
mountain regions. The Cascades of Water falls gives one a Blue hole of 20-25 ft depth for jumping into from various perches and even a zip line fall into it.

There are some pics on my fb page to try to give you an idea of this experience- but it does no justice to it at all.

Anyway- there is one more match here in Jamaica tomorrow evening before our team of match officials ( the other team now in St Kucia having done Trinidad & Barbados) head off to Fort Lauderdale in Florida – we will fortunately have about 6 free days as the 1st match in Fort Lauderdale is only on 28 July.

There has been much hype about this new venture – the first time the CPL taking matches outside of the Caribbean in its 4 year history and playing on mainland USA- the interest has been phenomenal and with double headers also on the schedule it should provide the cricket-starved ex-pat communities something to look forward to. I have been to the venue at the Central Broward Regional Park (CBRP) before and it is a wonderful facility so we are all looking forward to being there on a historic occasion.

I have one of my best friends in West Palm Beach which is only an hour away so am sure there will be lots of opportunities for getting to know Fort Lauderdale over the next week. On 1 August I head back to the Caribbean to St Kitts for the play-offs and the final which incidentally will be played on my birthday- fine way to celebrate so far away from home.

I return to SA on 11 August so am now well over the mid-way stage of my 2016 CPL experience.

To view pictures of Dev's trip, feel free to visit his facebook page!!

Dev travels to Bangladesh

THIS IS MY FIRST UPDATE FOR 2016 AND IT COMES TO YOU FROM THE PORT
CITY OF CHITTAGONG IN THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH WHICH
IS PLAYING HOST TO THE INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL’S UNDER 19 WORLD CUP.

THE EVENT IS INTO IT’S 11 TH EDITION WITH THE FIRST ONE HAVING BEEN HELD IN 1988 AND HAS BUILT A REPUTATION FOR BEING THE LAUNCHING PAD FOR THE FUTURE STARS OF THE GAME.

THE 19 DAY TOURNAMENT OFFICIALLY GETS UNDER WAY ON WEDNESDAY 27TH AND THERE WILL BE 48 MATCHES PLAYED ACROSS 8 DIFFERENT VENUES IN BANGLADESH.

THIS IS MY FIRST EVER VISIT TO THIS COUNTRY SO HOPEFULLY I SHALL OVER
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS BE ABLE TO CONVEY TO YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT I
SHALL EXPERIENCE BEARING AT THE OUTSET THE FACT THAT THERE HAS BEEN A TIGHT SECURITY BLANKET PLACED AROUND THE EVENT AND THAT OUR MOVEMENTS HAVE UNDERSTANDABLY BEEN SERIOUSLY CURTAILED.
I LANDED IN DHAKA ON SUNDAY EARLY EVENING AFTER FLIGHTS FROM PORT ELIZABETH VIA JOHANNESBURG & DUBAI .

THERE WERE QUITE A FEW OTHER ICC MATCH OFFICIALS WHO LINKED UP IN
DUBAI FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD SO WE WE WERE ALL MET AT THE HASRAT SHAHJALAL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN DHAKA WHERE
SECURITY OFFICERS AND LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
ENSURED OUR BRISK PASSAGE THROUGH CUSTOMS & SECURITY THEN INTO
BUSSES FOR THE JOURNEY OF ABOUT AN HOUR INTO THE CITY WHERE WE CHECKED IN AT THE PLUSH LE MERIDIEN HOTEL.

THE TIME DIFFERENCE OF 4 HOURS MEANT THERE HAD TO BE SOME
ADJUSTMENTS MADE AND AFTER THE USUAL UNPACKING AND SETTLING IN IT WAS NECESSARY TO GET IN SOME SOLID SLEEP AS MONDAY & TUESDAY SAW US ALL BUSY AT THE WORKSHOP IN PREPARATION FOR THE EVENT.

IT IS SOMETIMES NOT EASY TO EXPLAIN WHAT GOES INTO ORGANIZING SUCH
A MAJOR WORLD EVENT BUT YOU COULD PROBABLY WORK THIS OUT BY
THINKING OF THE LOGISTICAL ARRANGEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE PUT IN TO PLACE TO BRING 16 TEAMS INTO THE COUNTRY – ADD TO THAT ALL THE MATCH OFFICIALS AS WELL AS OTHER PERSONNEL AS WELL AS ICC STAFF MEMBERS.

IT BECAME EVIDENT FROM THE TIME WE GOT HERE THAT THE GOVT HAD
SPARED NO COST IN ENSURING THE SAFETY OF ALL THOSE AT THE
TOURNAMENT SO SECURITY IN THE FORM OF ARMED GUARDS AS WELL AS PERSONAL SECURITY OFFICERS FOR OFFICIALS AND TEAMS HAS BEEN GIVEN PRIORITY .

AFTER THE WORKSHOP ENDED IT WAS TIME FOR THE VARIOUS MATCH OFFICIALS TO SPLIT UP AND MOVE OFF TO THE VARIOUS CENTRES WHERE MATCHES WOULD BE PLAYED.

20 OF THE MATCHES SHALL BE LIVE ON NATIONAL TV AROUND THE WORLD SO POSSIBLY YOU SHALL CATCH SOME OF THEM ON SUPERSPORT OR WHICHEVER SPORT CHANNEL YOU WILL BE FOLLOWING THE CRICKET ON IN YOUR COUNTRY.
THE LE MERIDIEN HOTEL IN DHAKA WAS OUTSTANDING AND THE TIGHT
SCHEDULE MEANT THERE WAS NOT MUCH TIME TO EVEN GET TO SEE MUCH
ELSE- HOPING THIS SHALL BE CORRECTED WHEN I RETURN THERE FROM CHITTAGONG ON 3 FEB.

FLEW ON WED FROM DHAKA TO CHITTAGONG ON US BANGLA AIRLINE- A SHORT 40 MINS OR SO HOP OVER TO THIS 2ND LARGEST CITY IN BANGLADESH.
THE 45 MINS DRIVE FROM THE SHAH AMANAT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BROUGHT HOME THE REALITY TO ME OF WHERE I ACTUALLY WAS AND HOW PRIVILEGED SO MANY OF US ARE IN OUR DAILY LIVES.

THE POT-HOLED, CONGESTED ROADS TOOK US ALONG PATHWAYS THAT
SADDENED ME IN SO MANY WAYS- WE HAVE MADE SO MUCH PROGRESS ON SO
MANY FRONTS AND YET HUMANS ARE SUBJECTED TO SUCH CONDITIONS OF ABJECT POVERTY AND HARDSHIPS IN SO MANY COUNTRIES.

AMIDST THE FIGHT FOR DAILY SURVIVAL LIFE CARRIES ON AND
EVERYWHERE THERE WERE THREE-WHEELERS OVER-FILLED WITH PEOPLE
GETTING TO OR COMING FROM WORK, UNKEMPT CHILDREN SCROUNGING
AROUND ENORMOUS RUBBISH DUMPS ALONG THE ROADSIDES, RICKSHAWS
PULLING ALONG HEAVY LOADS OR CYCLE-RICKSHAWS FERRYING PASSENGERS
ALONG BUSY PATHWAYS- EVERYWHERE THERE WERE COLORFUL TRUCKS
AND BUSSES – PEOPLE AND MORE PEOPLE – CONTRASTED EVERY NOW AND
THEN BY AREAS WHERE MODERN SHOPS COULD BE SEEN AND FINALLY UPON ARRIVING AT THE NEWLY OPENED RADDISON BLU HOTEL, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN – OPULENCE AND LUXURY!

THAT JOURNEY JUST HUMBLES ONE AND MAKES ONE AUTOMATICALLY RESORT
TO A PRAYER OF THANKFULNESS AND AT THE SAME TIME OFFERING PRAYERS FOR THE DOWNTRODDEN AND THE INDIGENT.

PRIVATE CLUBS ARE IMPORTANT IN BANGLADESH- VISITORS WILL BE AMAZED AT HOW EXPENSIVE CERTAIN LUXURIES ARE AT INTERNATIONAL HOTELS SO
LOCALS OF A CERTAIN STANDING WOULD INVITE SPORTS PERSONS TO THEIR
CLUBS WHERE THEY CAN ENJOY MEALS AS WELL AS REFRESHMENTS AT CLUB
PRICES! THESE CLUBS ARE WELL RUN AND HAVE IN SOME CASES TOTAL
SPORTS FACILITIES AS WELL FOR THEIR MEMBERS- NOT SURE HOW EASY IT
WOULD BE TO BECOME A MEMBER BUT I DOUBT IT WOULD HAPPEN UNLESS YOU KNOW SOMEONE IN HIGH PLACES!

WE WENT TO THE UTTARA CLUB IN DHAKA AND LAST NIGHT WE WENT TO
THE CHITTAGONG CLUB WHICH IS SITUATED A WALKING DISTANCE FROM
OUR HOTEL. EXCELLENT SETTINGS AND CUISINE OF A GOOD VARIETY ON
OFFER- NOT TO MENTION THE BEERS OF OFCOURSE FOR SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES.

WED AFTERNOON WE DID THE VENUE INSPECTION – THE MA AZIZ STADIUM
CAN BE SEEN FROM MY ROOM AND ABOUT 30 MINS AWAY IS THE MAIN ZAC STADIUM- IMPRESSIVE STADIUM WHICH HAS HOSTED MANY INTERNATIONAL MATCHES IN CHITTAGONG.

THINK BY NOW YOU SHOULD HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF THE CONTRASTING SITUATIONS OF BANGLADESH – THE PEOPLE ARE WONDERFULLY WELCOMING AND WARM IN THEIR DEALINGS WITH US.OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS THERE WILL BE WARM-UP MATCHES FOR THE TEAMS EVERYWHERE- THEN WED THE OPENING MATCH TAKES PLACE HERE IN CHITTAGONG- DEFENDING CHAMPIONS SA PLAY THE HOSTS BANGLADESH AT THE ZAC STADIUM- THIS WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE AND MY FELLOW MATCH REFEREE GRAEME LE BROOY WILL BE OFFICIATING ( NEUTRAL).

UNTIL MY NEXT UPDATE MY FONDEST GOOD WISHES AND AS USUAL, ASK FOR SOME RESPONSE OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

ALWAYS

JUST

DEV